Electroplating rack



Dec. 8, 1959 s. F. o'coNNoR 2,916,431

ELECTROPLATING RACK mea Jan. 22. 195e f/f i United States Patent OELECTROPLATING RACK Stephen F. OConnor, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor toWestern Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Application January 22, 1958, Serial No. 710,495

2 Claims. (Cl. 204-297) This invention relates to electroplating racksand more particularly to electroplating racks having article-holdinghooks threaded into helical inserts mounted in threaded holes in therack.

In electroplating racks used in the past, it has been a common practiceto thread article-holding hooks directly into tapped holes in anelectrically conductive plate. The diiculty with this construction isthat it has been difcult to obtain a good electrical connection betweenthe rack and the hooks.

Keeping this problem in mind, one of the objects of this invention is toprovide an electroplating rack having a good electrical connectionbetween the rack and a plurality of article-holding hooks.

Another object of this invention is to provide an electroplating rackhaving threaded holes in which are mounted helical inserts havingresilient portions for electrically connecting the rack to threadedarticle-holding hooks mounted in the inserts.

With these and other objects in mind, the present invention contemplatesan electrically conductive rack having a plurality of threaded holes inwhich are mounted stairdess steel helical elements or inserts forreceiving threaded article-holding hooks, each element being providedWith a tang for engaging the hook to provide a good electricalconnection between the rack and the hook.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following detailed description and the accompanyingdrawing illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, in whichFig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of an electroplating rackembodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 2-2 ofFig. 1, showing the manner in which a st iinless steel helix is mountedin a threaded hole in the electroplating rack; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the stainless steel helices showing theconfiguration of a tang thereon.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a pper electroplating rack 11having electrically conductive supporting hooks 12 and 13 is shownprovided with a plurality of electrically conductive hooks 16 forholding 'articles to be electroplated. The hooks 12 and 13 are hung overa bar 14 which carries electrical current from a source (not shown) tothe rack 11. The outer surface of the rack 11 is covered with a heavylayer 17 of an electrically insulating and corrosion resistant materialsuch as rubber. The layer 17 prevents the plating of metal onto the rack11 and also prevents corrosion of the surface of the rack 11. The hooks16 are provided with bodies 21 having at faces 19 which abut with thelayer 17 of rubber. The dat face 19 of the body 21 compresses the rubber17 and provides a seal whereby the 2,916,431 Patented Dec. 8, 1959electrolyte is normally prevented from entering into the hole 18 andcorroding the threads therein.

The rack 11 is provided with a plurality of threaded holes 18 into eachof which is threaded a helical stainless steel insert 20 having adiamond-shaped cross section. The cross-sectional configuration of theinsert 20- is such that the outside surface dened by the helical turnsin the insert forms a plurality of threads which mate with the threadsin the hole 18. The inside surface defined by the turns of the insert 20forms a plurality of threads which mate with threads on thearticle-holding hooks 16.

The innermost end of the insert 20 is provided with a tang 22 whichprojects diametrically across the hole 18 to engage the end of the hook16 when it is threaded into the insert 20. This serves to provide a goodelectrical connection between the rack 11 and the hooks 16.

In using the rack, a plurality of articles to be plated are hung on thehooks 16 and the hooks 12 and 13 are hung on the bar 14 to support therack in a plating solution. Electrical current is then passed throughthe rack 11, the inserts 20, the hooks 16 and the articles toelectroplate these articles. The tangs 22 of the inserts 20 'provide agood electrical connection between the copper rack 11 and the hooks 16.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrange- `ments aresimply illustrative of the application of the principles of thisinvention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by thoseskilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention andfall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A rack for supporting articles in a plating solution comprising anelectrically-conductive member having a plurality of helically groovedapertures therein, a plurality of corrosion resistant helically coiledelectrically- `conductive elements entering the grooves in saidapertures, each said helically coiled element having a tang extendingtherefrom diametrically across said aperture, and a plurality ofelectrically-conductive article-holding members having helically groovedportions positioned in said apertures in abutting relationship with thetangs on the helically coiled elements, said helically coiled elementsalso entering the helical grooves in said portions of thearticle-holding members for holding said helically grooved portions insaid apertures.

2. A rack for supporting articles in a plating solution, comprising anelectrically-conductive supporting member having therein a plurality ofthreaded apertures, a plurality of corrosion resistant helically coiledelectricallyconductive elements.threaded into the threads in saidapertures and each having at one end a diametrically projecting tang,and a plurality of electrically-conductive article-holding membersthreaded into the corrosion resistant elements and engaging saidprojecting tangs.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,056,354 Morgan Mar. 18, 1913 2,439,190 Schroeder Apr. 6, 19482,511,037 Bedoiseau June 13. 1950 April 1956 a es 152 153. P

